Different Types of Beer

Last updated on 3/09/2018

With over 3,000 craft breweries in the United States, it’s safe to say that craft beer is bigger than ever. Whether your establishment already offers a dozen beers on tap or you’re thinking about adding a new beer service, brush up on your knowledge with our guide to the different types of beer. Learn everything about the styles of beer you serve, from proper serving temperature and glassware to the best food and cheese pairings, so you can please even the most knowledgeable connoisseur.

Different Styles of Beer

Click on the links below to learn more about your favorite style of beer:

How is Beer Categorized?

All beers are either lagers or ales, and that's determined by the type of yeast used during the fermentation process. Lagers are made with yeast that ferments at the bottom of the beer mixture, and ales are made with yeast that ferments at the top. There are also spontaneously fermenting yeasts, which make wild or sour ales.

Once you’ve figured out if your beer is a lager or an ale, there is further differentiation determined by the flavor, color, and aroma of the beer. These determine what style family a given beer falls into. Within that style family, there are varieties, which have even more distinct characteristics.

For example, an American Lager and a German Helles are both lagers that belong to the "pale lagers and pilsners" style family. They are two different varieties of beer, however, and while they are similar, they are also distinctly different. Think of the different varieties like brothers; they have definite similarities, but ultimately, they are each their own person.

Read on to learn more about the three different ways beer ferments:

What is Top Fermentation?

The yeast that is used in ale production ferments throughout the beer and settles at the top of the liquid. It has a higher tolerance to alcohol and ferments at warmer temperatures when compared to the yeast that’s used to make lager.

Top Fermenting Styles of Beer

Brown Ale

Pale Ale

India Pale Ale (IPA)

Porter

Stout

Belgian Style Beer

Wheat Beer

What is Bottom Fermentation?

The yeast used in lager production is more fragile than what’s used to make ale, and settles at the bottom of the liquid vessel after fermentation. It needs to ferment more slowly and at cooler temperatures than the yeast that’s used in ale production, and it has a lower tolerance to alcohol.

Bottom Fermenting Styles of Beer

Pale Lagers and Pilsners

Dark Lagers

German-Style Bocks

What is Spontaneous Fermentation?

Lambics and sour beers are made with a process called spontaneous fermentation. This type of fermentation occurs when beer is exposed to wild bacteria and yeast. These beers originated in Belgium, but brewers all over the world have found ways to manipulate this process to create sour, funky-tasting beers of their own.

Spontaneous Fermenting Styles of Beer

American Sour

Belgian Fruit Lambic

Flanders Red Ale

Belgian Gueuze

Check out the table below to learn about the different styles and varieties of beer.

Different Styles and Varieties of Beer

Types of Pale Lagers and Pilsners

Pale lager and pilsners are golden-colored beers that are lighter in flavor and lower in alcohol content. This style of beer became popular in what is now modern Czech Republic and Germany.

Variety

Characteristics

Examples

Pairs With

Serving Temp.

American Lager

American lager is light in flavor, color, and alcohol content, and is often produced in large quantities. ABV: 3.2-4.0% IBU: 5-15

Budweiser, Coors, Pabst Blue Ribbon

American cuisine, spicy food

30-40 F

German Helles

German helles is maltier than a traditional pilsner and features a bright gold color.ABV: 4.8-5.6% IBU:18-25

Victory Helles Lager, Stoudt's Gold Lager

German cuisine, pork, brie

40-45 F

German Pilsner

German pilsner is pale gold in color with a medium hop flavor and a slight note of maltiness.ABV: 4.6-5.3%IBU: 25-40

Tröegs Sunshine Pils, Bavaria, Sierra Nevada's Nooner Pilsner

German cuisine, poultry, fish, spicy cheese

40-45 F

Czech or Bohemian Pilsner

Czech or bohemian pilsner is a straw colored beer with a noticeably bitter hop flavor. These beers can sometimes have a floral aroma.ABV: 4.1-5.1% IBU: 30-45

Indian and Asian cuisine, poultry, seafood, and parmesan cheese

45-50 F

Types of Wheat Beers

As you might have guessed, wheat beers use wheat as their malt. They are generally lighter in color and alcohol content. Their tangy flavors go great with fruit, and brewers often add seasonal fruits to wheat beer.

Variety

Characteristics

Examples

Pairs With

Serving Temp.

American Pale Wheat

American pale wheat beer is pale in color, lower in alcohol content, and with a light bready flavor. ABV: 3.5-5.6% IBU: 10-35

New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie, The Lost Abbey's Red Poppy Ale

Meat, blue cheese, and cheddar cheese

45-50 F

Belgian Gueuze

Gueuzes are aged beers that give off a very strong sour flavor.ABV: 6.2-8.1% IBU: 9-23

Brouwerij Boon's Boon Gueuze, The Bruery's Rueuze

Strong cheeses

50-55 F

Types of Specialty Beers

Specialty beers can be any type or style. The differentiating factor is usually the addition of a specific ingredient, like honey or pumpkin, that can be added to most styles of beer.

Variety

Characteristics

Examples

Pairs With

Serving Temp.

American Black Ale

American black ales are dark in color and feature a malty, roasted flavor with medium to high hop bitterness. This style is sometimes called a black IPA. ABV: 6.0-7.5% IBU: 50-75

Lagunitas’ NightTime, Founders’ Dark Penance, Victory’s Yakima Glory

Aged cheeses, seafood, and chocolate

50-55 F

Barrel-Aged Beer

A barrel-aged beer is any type of beer that has been aged in a wooden barrel. Sometimes these barrels have been used to hold bourbon, wine, or other spirits, adding to the flavor of the beer.ABV: Varies IBU: Varies

Any style of beer can be brewed as a session beer, as sessions are simply less strong, more drinkable beers that are perfect for summertime consumption. ABV: 3.5-5.0% IBU: 10-35

Varies

Varies

Smoke Beer

Smoke beer is any beer that is brewed with malt that has been kilned over an open fire. The smoke adds a noticeable, but not overpowering flavor, which is inspired by traditional German rauchbier.ABV: Varies IBU: Varies

Roasted vegetables, hard cheese

50-55 F

Now that you know more about the different types of beer that are out there, hopefully you are inspired to add something unique to your beer list. Use this guide to help you and your servers feel more confident about recommending beers to customers, or maybe even create a menu that is centered on perfect beer pairings.

You can also share some of the health benefits of beer with your customers. In moderation, beer can actually help prevent kidney stones, improve brain function, and even boost bone health. Contributing to these benefits is a range of healthy compounds found in beer's hops and malt, including antioxidants, silicon, and potassium. For more information about the ways beer can make you healthier, check out our infographic below:

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